Vending apparatus



April 1, 1930. c. w NlXON VENDVLNG APPARATUS Filed June '7; 1926 2sheets-skeet 1 ma. r n w @Wg z j y 4 0 r a j a; w w w 6 i 5 6 0. NW 5 5%April -c. w. NIXON 1,753,088

VENDING APPARATUS Filed June 7. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jive/z msa .18 l76 W/ 5%;. 6

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 warren STATES;

CLIFTON NIXON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VENDING APPARATUS Application filed June 7,

My present invention relates to vending apparatus, the invention beingmore particulalry related to coin-controlled delivery apparatus for usein vending machines whereby packaged goods may be dispensed.

A main object of my invention is to simplify and improve the generalconstruction, arrangement and operation of apparatus of this character.

Another object is the provision of vending apparatus of this characterwhich will embody certain desired features of simplicity, eficiency andconvenience, and which will be economical in manufacture and durable inuse. M

Another feature of my invention has reference to the provision of asingle unit involving an arrangement of operating means, coin-controlledmechanism and delivery ap- 29 paratus, which single unit will be capableas an entity device, of being readilyinstalled in and as readily removedfrom any suitable vending machine. I

A still further object of my invention is the provision of, a vendingapparatus for use in machines where bulky goods, such as boxes of candy,packaged sandwiches, pies, cakes and the like, are dispensed. I

WVith the foregoing objects in view and others, my invention residesinthe peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of partshereinafter described and more par ticularly pointed out in the annexedclaims,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation from front to rear through amachine embodying my improved vending apparatus, the machine beingfragmentally shown;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view and section of my vending apparatus inassociation with a fragmental portion of the machine, which portion isshown in cross-section, this view illustrating in particular thearrangement of the delivery frames and merchandise stacks;

Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of my vending apparatus detached fromthe machine;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational viewof my 1926. Serial No. 114,113.

vending apparatus, parts being shown in section and parts being brokenaway;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 3; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig.4-. My improved vending apparatus, in its preferred form of constructionas illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, comprises a supporting frame7 including a base 8 having a front upright 9' and a rear upright 10.This frame is preferably cast and carries all of the parts of theapparatus. Y

lldesignates'an operating shaft which is mountedfor reciprocating andturning movements in the front upright 9 and upon a'stud shaft 12secured to and projecting forwardly from the rear upright 10, the shaft11 for this purpose being provided with a central bore 13 in which thestud shaft '12 is received. The operating shaft 11, intermediate itslength, is made with a reduced portion 14 to provlde spaced-apartshoulders 15 and '16. 1' 17 designates a coin slide which is verticallypositioned to slide upon the base 8 in a groove or slideway provided bythe guide members 18, and19 secured upon the base 8. At its: top end,the coin slide 17 is formed with curved flanges 20 and 20 which embracethe reduced portion 1 1 of the shaft between the shoulders 15 and 16thereon; By this arrangement,the coin slide is reoiprocated with theoperating shaft, while the last-mentioned is capable of being turnedindependently of the coin slide. At its front end, the coin slide ismade with a coin head 21 slotted at 21 to receive the edge of a coin.Arranged to have pivoting movement upon a pin '22 projecting from thecoin slide is a latch member 23 whichcooperates with the coin slide andthe head 21 thereon to form a coinseat for a coin as 24, the latchmember being suitably recessed at 25 to receive the edge of the coin andto sustain the same in conjunction. with the head 21. Said latch member28 is prcvidedwith a tooth 26 at its rear end; In the present embodimentthe guide 19 serves. as'a keeper for the latch member, the same beingprovided with a notch 27 fashioned to receive the tooth 26. Just back ofthe notch 27, the guide 19 is also made with a cam-like landing 28 withwhich the tooth 26 cooperates so as to hold the latch 23 in position forthe coin to enter its coinseat when it falls through the transverse coinslot 29 provided in the operating shaft 11. A spring 30, having itsforward end arranged on a stud 31 on the head 21, having bearing on thepin 22 and having its rear end attached to a cross piece 32, serves asmeans for constantly urging the latch mem ber downwardly into positionfor the engagement of the tooth 26 with the notch 27. As clearly shownin the drawings, the cross piece 32 extends from the opposite faces ofthe latch member and works in a suitable slot 33 provided in the coinslide. When under this arrangement, a coin is lodged in the coin-seatformed between the coin slide and the latch member, the operating shaftcan be pulled outwardly since the lodged coin holds the latch member inelevated position so that the tooth 26 cannot enter the notch 27. When,on the other hand, there is no coin in the coin-seat, the operatingshaft cannot be 7 pulled outwardly since upon the initial movementthereof the tooth 26 will slide into the notch 27 The cross piece 32serves as means through which to elevate the latch member for therelease of the lodged coin at the proper time as will hereinafter morefully appear.

Clamped upon the rear end of the operating shaft is a T-shaped member 34which I will refer to as a key head. Being clamped tightly to theoperating shaft, this key head moves with both the reciprocating andturning movements of said shaft. 35 and 36 designate fixed rods whichare supported by and connect the front and rear uprights 9 and 10 justabove the base 8. Slidable upon each of these fixed rods is a deliveryframe 37 composed of a back part 38 carrying two outwardly projectingparts 39 each terminating in an upwardly projecting flange 40.

From an inspection of the drawings, it will be seen that each of theseU-shaped delivery frames 37 is slidably mounted by passing thesupporting shaft through the outwardly projecting parts 39 at pointsnear the back part 38. .Each delivery frame is mounted not only forreciprocation with the operating shaft but also for independent verticalmovement, and it is held substantially in horizontal position by meansof a spring 41 which is applied to the back part 38 so as to havebearing upon the top edge of the base 8. Now, the key head 34 isdesigned to be employed as the means by which either one of the deliveryframes 37 may be reciprocated with the operating shaft 11. To this end,the back part'38 of each delivery frame is provided with a'notch 42 forthe reception of the curved edge 43 of the key head.

In the present embodiment, means is provided whereby to prevent theoutward movement of the operating shaft except when the key head isinterengaged with one of the delivery frames. This means comprises anabutment 45 located in proper position below the operating shaft andbetween the rear parts 38 of the delivery frames. Said abutment issupported upon posts 46 and 47 which rise from the base. This abutmentterminates at the rear just short of the turning position of the keyhead when the operating shaft is at its rear terminal of movement and inposition for advancing or outward movement. Should an effort be made toadvance or pull out the operating shaft when the key head is not engagedwith one of the delivery frames, the terminal 48 of the key head willengage on the end of the abutment. So also, should an attempt be made toturn the operating shaft during its advancing or retiring movements, theabutment 45Vwill be in the way of the terminal 48 of the key head. Underthis arrangement, it will be seen that the operating shaft can be turnedonly when it is at its rear terminal of movement,- the position fromwhich the advancing or pull-out stroke is efiected and the positionwhere the key-head is clear of theabutment.

The operating shaft 11,.as hereinbefore intimated is a pull shaft; andto this end it pro-V trudes a distance in advance-of the front upright 9where it is provided with a knurled knob 49 adapted to be grasped by thefingers. Said operating shaft 11 as well as the two de. livery frames37is automatically repositioned after each advancing or pull-outmovement by means of a spring 50 which is loosely coiled intermediateits ends about the post 47 betweenthe base and the abutment. Oneextremity 51 of this spring ext-ends obliquely across the rear part 38of one frame and is attached to a link 52; whose forward end ispivotally mounted on a post 53 carried by the rear part 38. The otherextremity 54of the spring similarly extends obliquely across the backpart of the opposite frame and connects with the link 52 attached to thepost 53 of that frame. By this arrangement, either one of the deliveryframes may be drawn forwardly in conjunction with the delivery shaftwithout affecting the other of the delivery frames. When the operatingshaft'has been pulled out and released, the spring 50 operates toreposition the particular delivery frame which accompanies the operatingshaft chine at'therear' there-of aretwo compartments 59 and providedwith partial bottoms 59 and 60 respectively. These compartments areconstructed to-hold' in stacked arrangement the goods which are to besold. The goods may comprise packaged sandwiches, packaged pies, cakesor other pastry, boxes of candy or other packaged goods capableof beingsold by a machine of this type. Each of the partial bottoms 59' and 60is provided with an openinga6l which extends from the front to the rear.As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the vending apparatus is located sothat the delivery frames 37 come just be low the partial'bottoms so thatthe flanges 40 of the rear projecting parts 39 can be advanced andretired through the openings 61. lVhen the machine is set for operationthe flanges 40 of the rear projecting parts 39 extend upwardly behindthe lowermost packages 62 in the compartments 59 and 60; while theflanges 4C0 ofthe front projecting parts 39 extend upwardly in front ofsaid lowermost packages 62. The bottoms 59 and 60 of the compartmentsbeing partialand of less dimension than the back parts 38 of thedelivery frames, the front flanges 40 are spaced a distance in advanceof said partial bottoms as indicated in Fig. 1. When the operating shaftis pulled out, the delivery frame, which is keyed therewith by thekey-head, detaches and pulls forward the lowermost package so that itwill drop down of its own weight upon the slideway 63 for delivery tothe cup 64 where it may be obtained by the purchaser. Upon the releaseof the lowermost package, the entire column of packages settles down sothat the next succeeding package 65 falls upon the flange 40 of the rearprojecting part 39. The impact upon the flange 40 causes the deliveryframe to sink down until the weight of the column of packages rests uponthe partial bottom so that the retiring movement of the delivery framemay take place to engage the flange 40 behind the package 62 which isnow the lowermost package of the column.

As the delivery frame sinks under the impact of the falling column ofpackages a pin 66, which projects from the rear part 38 moves upwardlyand engages the cross piece 32 so that the latch 23 is elevated torelease the lodged coin 24 which thereupon falls through suitable slots67 and 67 in the guide 19 and in the base, respectively, for deposit inthe cash box 68.

In practice the shaft 49 is provided with a suitable index (not shown)adapted to cooperate with a dial indicating the goods contained incompartments 59 and 60. The cus tomer, therefore, first dials the goodsbe desires to purchase and this operation engages the key-head with thedelivery frame corresponding to the column of goods dialed. Thereuponthe customer deposits his coin in the deposit'chute 69. The depositedcoin falls through the coin slot 29 of the shaft and is lodged in thecoin-,seat'thereby holding up the latch against the resistance ofspring30 so that the tooth 26 cannot engage the notch 2-7. Upon depositing hiscoin the customer pulls out the operating shaft, and releases the same;This operation effects the delivery. of a package of goods and releasesthe deposited coin for its passage to .the cash box.-

Vfhcn no coin is deposited in the chute 69, the

shaft cannot be drawn out since upon the initial movement of the shaftthe tooth 26 slides into the notch 27 thereby preventing any furthermovement Upon the release of the knob after theinitial movement, thespring 50 repositions the parts so that the tooth 26 slides upwardly torest upon the cam-like landing Having thus described my invention, whatI. claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: v 1. In vendingapparatus provided with mechanism for controlling advancing movement of.operating-means comprising a shaft mounted for advancing and" retiringmovement andalso for turning movement, a tilt-v I able delivery framemounted for advancing and retiring movement; and a key head on saidshaft arranged to be swung lntoengagement with said frame to advance andretire said frame with said shaftsaid frame being tiltable independentlyof its movement with said shaft, substantially as described.

' 2. In vending apparatus provided; with mechanism for controlling theadvancing movement of operating means comprising a shaft mounted foradvancing and retiring movement and also for turning movement, atiltable delivery frame mounted for advancing'and retiringmovement;means under the control of the turning movement of said shaft forconnecting said shaft and frame whereby to advance and retire themtogether; said frame being tiltable independently of its movement withsaid shaft; and means for automatically retiring said shaft and frameafter each advancing operation, substantial- 1y as described. 7 I 3. Invendingapparatus provided with mechanism constituting a locking device,the combination with a movable shaft arranged to be operated when saidlocking device is in an unlockedstate, a fixed shaft; a tiltabledelivery'frame movablyarranged on said fixed shaft; and means forestablishing a connection between said movable shaft and said deliveryframe for moving the latter with the former, said frame being tilt-ableon said fixed shaft independently of its movement with said movableshaft, substantially as described.

l. In vending apparatus: provided with mechanism constituting a lockingdevice, the combination with an operating shaft associated with saidlocking device to have turning movement and also to have longitudinalmovement when said locking device is in an unlocked state, two fixedshafts; a tiltable delivery frame slidably mounted on each of the fixedshafts ;-and -a key-head on said operating shaft adapted to be engagedwith either of said deliverytframes whereby to move the engaged deliveryframe with the longitudinal movement of said operating shaft, saiddelivery frames being tiltable independently of each other andindependently of their movement with said operating shaft, substantiallyas described.

5. In vending apparatus, a supporting frame; a movable operating shaftand a fixed shaft carried thereby; a delivery frame forming an openpocket mounted near one end to slide and swing on said fixed shaft;resilient means for positioning said delivery frame; and means on theoperating shaft for establishing an operative connection with saiddelivery frame, substantially as described.

6. In vending apparatus, a supporting frame; a pull-shaft and a fixedshaft carried thereby; adelivery frame forming an open pocket mountednear one end to slide and swing on said fixed frame; resilient meansfor-positioning said delivery frame; means on the pull-shaft forestablishing an opera-tiveconnection with said delivery frame; and'means for repositioning said delivery frame and'pull-shaft after eachoperation, substantially as described.

7. In vending apparatus, a supporting frame; a rotary pull-shaft and afixed shaft carried thereby; a delivery frame, which forms an openpocket for goods to fall therethrough, mounted near one end to slide andswing on said fixed shaft and notched; and a key-head on said pull-shaftadapted to be received in said notch whereby to move said delivery framewith saidpull-shaft and to permit relative swinging movement of saiddelivery frame, substantlally as described.

:8. In vending apparatus, a supporting frame; a rotary operatin shaftarranged on said frame and slidable from terminal position; a fixedshaft on said frame; a delivery frame, which forms an open pocket forgoods to fall therethrough, mounted near one end i to slide and swing onsaid fixed shaft and notched; a key-head on the operating shaft adaptedto be received in said notch; and an abutment for said key-head toprevent the rotation of the operating shaft except at its tially asdescribed.v

. 10. In combination, a supporting frame, two fixed shafts on saidframe; a rotary shaft having. reciprocating movement on said frame; adelivery frame slidable'on each of the fixedshafts; a key-head on therotary shaft adapted to be keyed with either one of said deliveryframes; a post; a spring coiled intermediate its length about said postand having one extremity connected with one delivery frame and the otherextremity connected with the other of the delivery-frames, substantiallyas described.

In. testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CLIFTON W. NIXON.

